The High Lord's Daughter
by BridgeFlyingBlues
Summary: Set on planet Vegeta. Videl is set to mate a suitable Elite, but things change abruptly when her caravan is ambushed. GohVi


Disclaimer: Don't own, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

_Thoughts_

The High Lord's Daughter

Prologue

The shadows tripled in length as the sun slowly descended into the western sky. Dusky blue ozone, dotted with a few silver stars, trailed along in its wake like a ship's canvas, swollen with the humid breeze.

It smelled like home.

A woman watched, silently, as red motes of sand danced upon the evening air. The wide expanse of planet was blanketed with a thousand deserts. _Deserts_, she mused, that had forged its people into the savage, and yet honorable warrior's they were. A contradiction if ever there was one, but proving apt all the same.

Sighing suddenly, she felt the pangs of old age catch her unawares again. Over two hundred and sixty-nine years she had lived, though no one would have guessed it to look upon her. Hair and eyes of darkest pitch, they had lost a majority of their radiance with time, but once in a while they would brighten with temper.

She felt no temper now, however.

"Grandma! Grandma!"

Turning quickly, she tied back her short locks with a red bandanna. Her great grandfather's red bandanna.

_Another time, another place, Pan Son._

Yes. Hers was a life of many times and places, and many stories as well. And with that, she was content.

"Yes dear! Grandma is in the kitchen!" Pan called out, a tinge of amusement to her voice.

Within an instant, a gaggle of her grand children and a few of their friends had gathered by her feet. All of them were dark and exotic, except for one, who had been gifted with her husband's blue eyes. She loved all her kin equally of course, but Ceripa had always held a special place in her heart.

Pan laughed, a slightly throaty sound that hinted at the passionate creature she once was.

Yes, it had to be those mischievous ocean deep eyes.

"'Ripa, baby, what is it you want? Food I'm guessing, as young Saiyajins always want that."

_...And adult Saiyajins, and old Saiyajins until the day they die._

She grinned and shook her head.

Ceripa returned the sentiment and raised her arms, impatiently waiting to be lifted by her grandmother. And _grandma_ was always accommodating.

Swinging the child up and settling her on a hip, Pan shuffled toward the kitchen counter. She skimmed her hand over the stone top, scarred with the strength of numerous moody cooks. Herself included.

"No." Ceripa tugged on a spike of her grandmother's hair. "We want a story!"

Pan raised a delicate eyebrow, a clear warning about pulling on people's hair. Well, _her _hair at least.

Ceripa looked instantly contrite, and brought a fist to her mouth where she began to chew on her knuckles.

"P'rease?"

_How in the hell could I say no to such a face?_

"Alright then." Pan tilted her head towards the other young ones, the tallest of which barely reached her thigh, and chuckled lightly. "Go on with you to the library. We'll have a story there, my darlings."

Cheering, they all rushed out and shot down the northern hall, where at the very end sat their destination. Pan smiled wistfully for a moment, then followed after at a more sedate pace.

Ah, the library. It still brought a warm tingle to her blood and a flutter to her heart each time she saw the vastness of it. Leather and parchment mixed together, creating that unique scent of infinite knowledge.

_When I came here, this was the first thing he showed me..._

"Grandma?" Ceripa looked up curiously, laying her head with care against her grandmother's shoulder.

Pan blinked her eyes of old memories and murmured distractedly to her granddaughter. The other little ones tussled about on the softly woven carpets, shouting at each other with mock annoyance.

Her family.

"Quiet, brats!"

She laughed, as the word was more an endearment than anything else, and kneeled on the floor in front of them. "Well, what story would you like to hear?"

"A war story!"

The suggestion immediately set off an uproar among the boys, and whiny moans among the girls.

"NO!" Ceripa shouted as she clamored out of her grandmother's arms. "We want a _love _story!"

This demand reversed the situation, creating an even louder atmosphere than before. Pan rolled her eyes and motioned her granddaughter to sit, which she did with little argument.

"ALRIGHT BRATS!" She yelled above their flurry of noise. "I have a story that will please you both."

They were immediately silent, watching her with alternatively piercing and reserved eyes.

She'd stood before millions at assembly, and had never felt a more judgmental crowd.

"What's it called Grandma?"

Pan let a small smile tease her lips. Ceripa, her little diplomat.

"It's about how my parents met. And it has a lot of bloody fighting-" Cheers from the boys, "-and falling in love." Cheers from the girls.

Pan was quiet for a moment, the mark of a true tale spinner, as she let the anticipation of her audience rise.

Then, she began.

"Vegeta-sei was not always at peace amongst itself, as it is today my darlings. At one time, we were divided." She paused, "You see, in the beginning we were a nomadic people. We traveled about, living off the land when it chose to be giving, and suffering, when the land chose to be cruel. This was good for a time. But soon, however, there were those of us who wanted more.

It started with the older people, who were already mated, but soon increased to the younger, who wished for a little more stability. They would remain, while others did not.

Slowly, they built up and built out. They elected people to rule them, and through that rule there came to be the dynasty of kings.

So, while those who _remained _flourished, created armies and technology, titles and treasures, those who _did not, _continued on their rambling ways without such fine cushioning."

Pan situated herself more comfortably on the plush rug.

"It's strange how lovers meet, those lovers destined to be mates. In most stories they meet in extraordinary ways; caught by accident when one has fallen from a window, or tree, or roof, through an arranged marriage of convenience, or maybe even by a rescue, strange and fated. But, _my _parents," She chuckled, "Gohan and Videl, they met simply enough...

A meeting which gave way to extraordinary circumstances."

_End Chapter_

Hey! New to the biz, but I would love any and all comments on my writing. I hope you like this pre chapter and will stay tuned for the next one!


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